Terms And Conditions

This page details our Practice Terms and Conditions. Some aspects of the terms may not be relevant to you and we request that you ask for further explanation/clarification if required.

FEES

All fees, diets and drug charges are subject to V A T at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the drugs, materials, consumables and diets used. Our written fee list is available on request. You can receive a detailed breakdown for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction with us on request.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet or upon collection of drugs/diets. You may settle the account using: Cash, cheque with a current banker card, credit/debit card - Switch, Solo, Mastercard, Visa, Delta all accepted.

PET HEALTH INSURANCE

The White Mill Veterinary Centre strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents. Please ask for details about insurance from any member of staff. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle our account and then reclaim the fees from your Insurance Company.

If the claim is nominated to be paid directly by the Insurance Company to us, the insurance excess and administration fee should be paid at the time of the appointment prior to the claim being sent off. Any delay in settlement, which results in administration charges being added, will be the responsibility of the client.

COMPLLAINTS & STANDARDS

We hope that you never feel the recourse to complain about the standards of service received from the White Mill Veterinary Centre. However, if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about, please direct your comments in the first instance to the Senior Partner Mr A Uppal.

No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by one of the Practice Partners. No agent or persons employed by, or under contract with, the company has the authority to alter or vary in any way these conditions.

ESTIMATES OF TREATMENT COSTS

We will happily provide a written estimate as to the probable costs of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that any estimates can only be approximate - often a pet's illness will not follow a conventional course.

TERMS OF BUSINESS

Where accounts have been agreed our terms are nett payable within 28 days of invoice. Administration charges will be added at 3% per month on overdue accounts. Should it be necessary for further reminders to be sent, further charges will be incurred. These however, may be deducted if payment is made promptly. After due notice to you the client, overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt: production of reports, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls, home visits, etc. Any cheque returned by your Bank as unpaid, any credit card payment not honoured and any cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored to the original sum with further charges added in respect of Bank charges and administration costs together with interest on the principal sum.

INABILITY TO PAY

If, for any reason you are unable to settle your account as specified, we ask you to discuss the matter as soon as possible with a member of staff. Please note that installments or part-payments of any account may ONLY be sanctioned with the express permission of Mr A Uppal.

OWNERSHIP OF RECORDS

Case records and similar documents are the property of, and shall be retained by the White Mill Veterinary Centre. Copies with a summary of the history will be passed, on request, to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case. However if clients request their animal's notes we will be able to provide them

OWNERSHIP OF X-RAYS AND SIMILAR DOCUMENTS

The care given to your animals may involve making some specific investigations, for example taking x-rays or performing ultrasound scans. Even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record, for example x-ray film, remains with the practice

OUT OF HOURS PROTOCOL

Calls will be referred to a dedicated out of hours service "Vets Now" located at the Broadway Veterinary Group, 1 The Links, Herne, Herne Bay, CT6 7FE who will treat all small animal emergencies.

Large animal and equine emergencies will be referred to the duty vet at White Mill Veterinary Centre.

IN PATIENT CARE

The duty vet will be responsible for the care of any patients kept in the surgery overnight and at week-ends. This will include medical cases and some post-operative patients. The attendance at the surgery will be commensurate with the care needed by the individual patient. The premises are not normally manned overnight.